FOR THREE YEARS. 2nd Chronicles 11 The writer of Chronicles was clearly concerned that the positive actions of the ancestors of the returned exiles be credited as much as possible for doing what was right. Rehoboam acted on bad advice during his coronation by telling the people of Israel that he would take full control over their lives and keep the power of the nation in his own hands. The result was division. Rehoboam foolishly split his kingdom by ignoring wise counsel from those who had been tested and proven over many years.
His reaction was to gather his army and reunite the kingdom by force. When Shemaiah, “the man of God,” spoke the word of the Lord to him, Rehoboam wisely listened to the Lord's word through Shemaiah. This prophet was a man of courage who was willing to go against the plans of the king and the popular thought of his counselors and men of war. By divine intervention, which led to taking good advice, the children of Israel were saved from a lot of bloodshed. Instead of trying to heal the division he brought upon the nation, he focused on protecting the southern border of the kingdom by building fortified cities and strengthening what he had.
Often, people tend to act without fully considering a matter or its potential outcome. Challenging or defeating our brothers and sisters in Christ frequently only breeds resentment and later retaliation. There will be times when our opinions differ from those of others in the faith. Having a different opinion is not necessarily wrong, but trying to force that view on others, claiming it is a conviction, leads to division. Some demand that everyone submit to their personal opinion on a matter and will stand firm regardless of the facts. Such divisive attitudes and lingering resentments can persist even after the individual leaves, and a community of God's people may never recover from the lasting effects of one person's insistence.
Loyalty and unity cannot be forced on God's people. They must be earned. This principle applies to families, businesses, assemblies, and nations. Respect for a person, especially a leader, is gained through careful guidance, demonstrated wisdom, and love shown through visible acts of kindness. Respect arises when God's people are drawn toward Him because of His meekness and evident love for them. Meekness does not mean being an easy pushover, but rather that one understands that power, when controlled and motivated by Christian love and gracious words, can achieve better results than overwhelming force. Loyalty and allegiance must be earned. When given the opportunity, "Do good unto all men, especially them who are of the household of faith." Those who serve the Lord by serving His people need to develop the character of servanthood, as learned from our Lord and from those who have been tried and proven by their lives of faith. When a division has already happened, we must learn how to adapt to its outcome and effects. Through careful and prayerful consideration, we can discover how to prevent further division. The Lord may have permitted the division as a punishment for wrongdoing or as a means to expand His kingdom. God considers unity among His people to be “good and pleasant,” but for reasons greater than we might understand, division can serve His will. It is doubtful that Rehoboam ever saw his role as king as that of a servant of the people. But at least for three years, he was a good administrator of what remained in his hands of a divided kingdom. He understood the necessity of guarding his southern border because the Egyptians would likely seek to take advantage of and strive to conquer that part of a divided nation. It was a wise move on his part to arm and maintain these fortified cities to the east, west, and south as protection against invasion. In our commitment to the truth of God, both in assembly testimony and in Gospel testimony, we must be consciously aware of those teachings and practices that are encroaching on the people of God and have the potential to defeat us. It is God who preserves His people, and He uses wise leaders to teach and strengthen His people against the invasion of falsehood. Among God’s people, some are committed to obeying God rather than man. With personal integrity, moral strength, and a spiritual commitment to the Lord, they will move away from the comfort of their homes to obey God's call. Perhaps Rehoboam left the northern border unprotected in hopes of reuniting the entire kingdom. However, Jeroboam's actions—making two golden calves and establishing his own priesthood—effectively obstructed and ultimately ended that hope. Those who remained loyal to the Lord and His word did not follow the new, false religious practices of the northern tribes. Instead of going along with what was wrong and compromising, they moved south to continue worship at the temple in Jerusalem. To them, obeying God in their spiritual lives was more important than safeguarding their homes and property. The priests, Levites, and those "who set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel" did right by relocating to Jerusalem, where they could sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors. There is a price for doing what is right when most people choose to go their own way. It might mean losing jobs, property, finances, and prestige to stay true to what is right. But when one person is willing to take that stand, they set an example that helps others turn away from evil and follow God's word in faithful obedience. It is wrong to try to make the clear teaching of God's word fit our agenda. There is no question that God hates division. He said so in His word. But unity that sacrifices truth and obedience to God's will is something we cannot endorse. Self-will, apostasy, false doctrine, and willful rejection of our Lord lead to division, just as darkness and light are divided. When disagreements arise due to differing opinions within a church or family, attempts at reconciliation are the first steps toward resolving the issue. When we obey God rather than man, regardless of how much charisma someone may possess, we must maintain our integrity and spiritual discernment, even if that person is persuasive. Biblical convictions may cost us friendships and favorable circumstances, but being able to live with a good conscience helps us sustain spiritual strength. Those who are willing to obey God despite the cost please God. Rehoboam must have carefully planned to place family members in different locations throughout the southern kingdom. This way, he could control the political system and prevent his family from plotting against each other. With his twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters scattered across various regions, he avoided the family conflicts that troubled David during his reign. Rehoboam's reign began with both positive and negative actions during his first three years. He only ruled for seventeen years, and aside from those initial years, things quickly went downhill. The nation mirrored his attitude and decline, suffering the consequences. The mistakes we make early in life may not leave us completely unscathed, and we might never fully recover from their effects. However, when we learn lessons from others and through experience, we can still lead a productive life. A good start does not always guarantee a good finish. If we stay close to our Lord and remain committed to knowing and practicing His word, we can run a successful race. What about the fourth generation makes them so dissatisfied? One can't doubt their sincere appreciation for the Lord who died for them. However, it seems like something takes over people, like an insidious disease that leaves them powerless to solve their problems, the power they desperately want to seize. What should we do when divisions happen that split God's people? Both sides claim their actions are based on the unchanging holy Word. However, interpretation appears to be set aside, and the focus shifts to application, which makes it nearly impossible for an assembly to work out its own salvation. What remains for us to do when division has made us so small? Those who have left us go further to “the left” to appeal to more people. Those on the “right” believe we are headed for defeat. That makes it hard to carry on when we feel incomplete and weak. But God has allowed division to come; He must have a purpose for it. In ancient times, God’s people turned away from holiness, and division was allowed until One would come to unite His people once again, so they could truly be one. Trying to “cross-pollinate” what God permits to be divided will only happen when people give up trying to do it their way.
Some seek to unite a divided people through compromise. They are genuinely concerned with how assemblies appear to the world. Attempting to unify what God permitted to be divided without Him is a hopeless effort. Our fellowship is through our risen Lord, not based on human plans. What God has joined together, man should never separate. Yet, some still divide anyway, making others wonder if God sees division in a marriage, a nation, or a church; or if He overlooks human decisions as if everything remains unchanged from the beginning.
Upon examining the Scriptures, it is evident that God strongly opposes division. But because He hates it doesn’t mean He ignores the reality of man's terrible decisions. It seems that God allows men's divisive choices to continue—and acknowledges the results that come from those acts, though they do not originate from His hand. Therefore, we must live with the consequences of our bad decisions. It is unwise to act in our own way in response to all the crying voices. We need to carry on where God has placed us, doing the work He has called us to do. God will make right the wrongs that happen when this training time is over.